Means for applying dope to paper



Sept. 14, 1937. c. E. BEECHER MEANS FORAPPLYING DOPE TO PAPER Filed July 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 14, 1937. c. E. BEECHER,

MEANS FOR APPLYING DOPE TO PAPER Filed July 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of paper manufacture and pertains particularly to an improved apparatus for applying dope to paper.

In the manufacture of paper, the standard practice in applying dope to the paper is to make the application after the paper has passed through the dryers of the paper machine. The finished paper is then run through converting machines which apply the necessary dope material in any one of several manners.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for applying dope to the paper which consists in passing the paper over dope applying rolls before it reaches the dryers of the paper machine and while the paper is still in a wet condition.

Heretofore, attempts to apply dope to the paper while wet have failed because the attempts were made by passing the paper between doping rolls and this is impossible, because of the moisture which the paper carries.

The invention has for a further object to provide a means whereby an even distribution of dope material may be made over one or both surfaces of the paper while it is being made and before it goes to the dryers, whereby a more thorough penetration of the paper by the dope is obtained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of dope applying rolls whereby relative adjustment of the rolls may be made to obtain an even contact therebetween throughout the entire lengths of the same.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically the press rolls and dryers at the wet end of a paper making machine in association with which the dope apout the present invention by the use of the apparatus shown, there is shown in Figure 1, dia grammatically, presser or couch rolls I at the wet end of a paper making machine over the lower one of which the endless web 2 passes and over which Web and between the rolls the strip of wet paper 3 passes in moving toward the dryer rolls of the machine which are indicated by the numerals 4.

Heretofore the application of dope solutions to a paper body has been made after the paper passes through or between the dryer rolls 4 of the machine and because of the dried condition of the paper, the even distribution of dope thereover and the thorough penetration of the paper by the dope has been difiicult to obtain. The present invention consists in the provision of a novel apparatus which facilitates the application of the doping solution to the paper web before it reaches the dryers and while it is in a wet condition. This method results in a more satisfactory product because of the fact that, the

paper being wet, after the dope is applied and the paper passes to the dryers, the dope will follow into the paper as the water is being dried out, thereby giving a more uniformly treated sheet.

It is not possible to pass the wet paper web between dope applying rolls because of the large amount of moisture which the paper carries. For the carrying out of the present process, therefore, there are provided the two units indicated by the numerals 5 and 6 wherein the wet paper web passes over the top of a dope applying roll and wherein means is provided in the construction of the units facilitating the contact between a dope picking up roll and a dope applying roll of such a character that an even distribution or film of constant thickness of the dope over the applying roll is assured.

Each of the units 5 and 6 comprises a pair of standards, each of which is indicated by the numeral I and which are disposed at opposite sides of the paper machine. Each of these standards has a vertically extending bearing guide or recess 8 therein and a bearing collar 9 upon its upper end which is alined with an opening leading downwardly through the upper end of the standard into the guide 8. Supported between each pair of standards to extend transversely of the paper machine is a dope trough I0 and lying above each of these troughs is a dope pick-up roll II which has a large proportion of its peripheral surface within the trough so as to dip into'dope liquid placed therein. Each of these rolls H has a shaft passing therethrough which forms supporting trunnions at the ends, as indicated at I2, and each of these shaft ends or trunnions rests in a sliding bearing block I3 which is supported upon the bottom edge of the recess 8 where a guide rib I4 may be provided extending transversely of the standard and engaging in a groove in the bearing block so that the latter may be moved transversely of the standard in the opening 8 but will not slip out of the opening.

An outwardly projecting flange surrounding the bearing guide opening 8, as indicated at I5, provides means for the support of a pair of screws I6 between the opposed ends of which a sliding bearing block I3 is disposed. These screws have constant engagement with the adjacent blocks I3 so that the latter, by the manipulation of the screws, may be shifted transversely of the bearing opening 8 as hereinafter more fully,

described.

In each of the bearing openings 3 above the laterally shiftable bearing I3 therein is a vertically movable bearing II which is retained in position by any suitable means such as the guide ribs III formed on the opposed inner surfaces of the opening 8. Between each pair of standards I above the roll I I is a dope applying roll I9 having a shaft 20, the ends of which are supported in the sliding bearings II. Each bearing II has swivelly attached thereto an end of an adjusting screw 2i which passes upwardly through the collar 9 and through the hub of an adjusting wheel 22 with which it is threadably engaged. By this means, the vertical adjustment of each roll I9 may be made and by means of the screws I6, lateral adjustment may be made of the bearings I3 and of the ends of the rolls II supported thereby.

In practice the units 5 and I5 are set up so that the troughs I0 and the rollers of the units will extend across the paper making machine in the area between the presser rolls and the dryer rolls, as shown in Figure 1. Where it is desired to apply do'pe mixture to both sides of the paper web, both units are employed, but it will be obvious that if one side only is to be doped, one unit only need be set up. In using both of the units, the paperweb after leaving the presser rolls is passed about an idler roll which extends transversely of the machine, as indicated at 23, and is then brought back between the standards of the unit 5 across the top of the dope applying roll I9 of this unit. This unit has on one side, the side opposite from the idler roll 23, an idler roll 24 which is rotatably supported at its ends in bearings 25 carried upon the standards of the unit. This-idler roll 24 is for reversing the direction of travel of the paper so that, after it has passed over the roller I9 of the uniti, it will again move forwardly between the standards of the unit 6 and over the top or dope applying roll III of this unit, passing then to the dryers in the usual manner. Withthis arrangement, it will be apparent that the paperweb in being reversed and then carried forward has each of its faces moved over or in contact with a dope applying roll so that both sides will receive the dope mixture.

In order that an accurate and even distribution of the dope solution may be obtained on each of the dope applying rollers, the lateral adjustment of the bearings for the ends of the dope pick-up rollers II is provided. Itis found that it is practically impossible to grind the surface of two contacting rollssuch as the rolls II and I9 with the proper crown so as to pickup and cause point where they are absolutely in perfect line as 10 far as the bearing is concerned. This will eliminate any springing in the center as it will let the center of both rolls come together in order to cause a perfect distribution of the dope. It will thus be seen that while the upper roll of each pair may 15 be moved vertically, the lower roll may be shifted transversely relative thereto so that it. may be adjusted from a parallel relation to any desired angular or oblique relation. 4

It will, of course, be understood that any suit- 20 able means may be employed for rotating the dope applying rolls at the same speed as the rolls I and 4 of the paper machine so that the paper web 3 will move steadily through the machine.

In Figure 3, the shaft of a dope pick-up roll II '25 is shown as extended and having a cone 26 thereon over which a driving belt 21 is engaged. By shifting the belt, the speed of rotation of the dope applying rolls may be varied, as desired.

This is merely one means which may be em- '30 ployed and it is to be understood that it is not to be taken aszlimiting the invention in any respect.

It has been previously stated that the present apparatus for applying the. dope to the paper web before the latter reaches the dryers produces-a more satisfactory product and the reason for this is as follows. When the paper comes through the press to the dope mils, it will contain approximately 75% water. the dope rolls, the wet paper will act as a blotter and will absorb the dope after which the paper passes onto the dryers. The evaporation point of water being much lower than that of the While it is passing over 40 dope, the water will start to leave the paper and .45

as this continues, the dope will follow into replace the evaporated water- By this apparatus, a natural thorough impregnation of the paper with the dope is obtained and a more uniform distribution of the dope through the paper re- 50 suits. In the old apparatus, the paper is passed between squeeze rolls on a converting machine where reliance is placed on the pressure of the rolls on the paper to press the dope into the paper and this is diflicult and sometimes impossible of accomplishment. Y

What is claimed is: i 1. In the art of paper making, a dope applying mechanism adapted to be disposed in a paper making machine between the presser' rolls'and dryer rolls, comprising a pair of rolls extending transversely of the machine, a dope receptacle having one of said pair of rolls extending thereinto, the other of the pair of rolls lying above and contacting the first roll, the said other roll con- '65 tacting the underside of the paper web passing through the paper machine, and means for establishing an even distribution of dope over the pe-, riphery of the upper one of the pair ofrolls" of the pair of rolls which are independently shiftable in a planeperpendicular to the vertical.

2. In the device of the character described for applying a dope solution to a continuously moving sheet of material a dope solution containing I comprising supporting bearings for the lower one 7 0 trough, a pair of standards disposed vertically at each end of said trough and each having a vertically disposed bearing recess therein, a dope pickup roller extending longitudinally of and dipping into the trough, a pair of bearing blocks each mounted in the lower end of a bearing opening of a standard for movement transversely of the standard, means facilitating the said movement of the bearing blocks independently one of the 10 other, each of said bearing blocks supporting an end of said roll, a dope applying roll extending longitudinally of and contacting the first roll, a pair of bearing blocks each mounted for vertical sliding movement in the bearing opening 15 of a standard and each supporting an end of the dope applying roll, and means for vertically shifting each oi. said last mentioned bearing blocks, the said sheet of material passing over and contacting with said dope applying roll.

roll may be moved in the same or opposite direcm tions and in a plane paralleling the other roll, and bearing means supporting the ends of the other roll, said last bearing means being mounted to be shii'table in a plane perpendicular to the plane of movement of the first bearing means.

CHESTER E. BEECHER. 

